This is the Recipe of the week! Week 1: Febuary 6th Yaki soba! 1 package dry or fresh yaki soba noodles 1 small onion, coarsly chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 carrot, chopped 1 celery stick, chopped (Feel free to add other chopped veggies, cooked meats or tofu if you'd like) About 2 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp hoisin sauce 1/2 tsp hot sauce( the chinese kind), optional 1/8 tsp Chinese five spice Pinch of sugar Boil some water for the noodles(if you're using dried) and cook according to package. About 2 minutes. In a large frying pan or wok heat 1 TBLSP oil. Add onions and garlic and sautee about three minutes. Add the other veggies and cook until soft. Add noodles and seasonings. Adjust seasonings to taste. Cook about 5 more minutes. Enjoy!
Week 2: February 15 Scalloped Potatoes 8-10 medium potatoes, washed and sliced into 1/4" rounds 2 TBLSP Butter 1/3-1/2 C. Flour 3-4 C. Milk 1-2 C. Cheese, shredded 1 Small onion, sliced Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Cayenne- To taste Preheat the oven to 450*F. Layer a 13x9x2 Casserole pan with half of the sliced potatoes and half of the onions. In a large sauce pan melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted add the flour, whisk until absorbed and crumbly. Slowly pour in milk. Add seasonings. Whisk until thickens. About 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and add cheese and stir until combined. Pour half of the cheese sauce on potatoes and onions. Layer with remaining potatoes and onions. Pour the remaining cheese sauce on top. (you can sprinkle more shredded cheese and bread/cracker crumbs on top if you wish) Cover with foil and bake 45-60 minutes or until potatoes are tender. *if cheese and crumbs on top, take off foil last 5 minutes so it can brown a bit. *you may add other chopped veggies or ham to the layers if you so choose. Enjoy!
Week 3: Uhmmmm March 3... Sorry guys, I was on vacation and now I'm sick. Super simple grits. 1 1/3 cup milk(or half water half milk) 2 TBLSP Butter 1/3 cup grits garlic powder onion powder salt pepper shredded cheese Heat the milk, butter and spices to just a boil. Add the grits and lower to medium. Whisk about 5-10 minutes(or until grits are soft) Stir in cheese. Adjust seasonings if need be. NOMS!
Week 4: March 11. Awesome oatmeal! (For one) 1/2 c. Milk 1/2 c. Water 1/2 c. Old fashioned rolled oats Chopped Nuts(I like peanuts, walnuts or pecans, or almonds) Dried fruits(Raisins, craisins, dried berries) 1 Tblsp Cinnamon(I like cinnamon a LOT!) 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1-3 TBLSP Brown sugar(Depending on how sweet you like your oatmeal) dash of salt 1/2 of a sliced banana, apple, pear, peach or whatever kind of fresh fruit you have on hand.(Be careful with any sort of citrus, it will curdle the milk) In a small sauce pan, heat everything up except the oats to just boiling on a medium-low heat. Make sure to stir frequently so the milk doesn't burn! Add the oats and cook for about 5-8 minutes. Eat!
Week 5: March 24 Hummus 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans 1/4 cup bean liquid 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 TBLSP Tahini paste 2 TBLSP Olive oil(optional) salt pepper 1/4 cup chopped parsley In a food processor puree the beans and liquid until smooth. Put into a bowl and add the lemon, oil, salt and pepper. Stir until mixed. Top with parsley and refrigerate for 30 minutes so the flavor develops. Serve with veggies, pita, chips or other things. Noms!
Week 6. April 5 Popcorn! 1/3 cup corn kernels 1/2-1 tsp butter 1 brown paper bag microwave salt Nutritional yeast(or Parmesan cheese) pepper Put the kernels and butter in the paper bag, fold the top over two times and stand it up straight in the microwave. Cook for about 2-2 1/2 minutes on high.(Be sure to pay attention towards the end, if it isn't really popping anymore, take it out!) Put in some seasonings in the bag and shake it. Put in a bowl and nom!
Week 7. May 1.(oops......) Chai Tea! (Especially for you Atonal Ginger!) Makes 2 servings 1/2 cup water 1 bag black tea, such as orange pekoe, English breakfast, Lapsang Souchong, or Darjeeling. 1 3-inch piece stick cinnamon 2 cups milk 2 TBPS raw sugar or honey 1 tsp vanilla 1/8 tsp ground ginger 1/8 tsp ground cardamom In a small saucepan combine the water, tea bag, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Discard tea bag and cinnamon stick. stir in milk, sugar, vanilla, ginger and cardamom into tea. Cook and stir over medium heat just until mixture is heated through(do not boil). Serve in warm mugs. Nom!
Foug: I have. All the recipes I put on here I have made or make frequently. The hummus is yummus. You can add things like roasted garlic or some cayenne or roasted red peppers when you puree it too for added flavors if you so choose.
Week 8: May 16th Easy pasta! I'm not going to put exact amounts on this one. You can make it for yourself or for however many people you'd like. Adjust accordingly. 1/2 box of pasta( I like to use rotini, macaroni, or other fun shapes) Italian Dressing Parmesan Cheese Pepper You can add all, a few or none of the spices below: Dill Oregano Parsley Garlic Powder Onion Powder Thyme Cook the noodles according to the package. Strain and return to pot. Pour in some of the dressing. I'd say start with 1/4 cup and add a little more to your liking. Add the cheese and spices. Enjoy this super easy dish!
Week 9: May 25 Salad Dressing! Carrot Oil(you can use olive or vegetable or whatever you'd like really) Vinegar(An apple cider vinegar is my favorite to use or if you want a balsamic use that.) Salt Pepper Dill onion Garlic Sugar Lemon Juice Grate carrot and dice about 2 TBlSP of Onion and a clove or two of garlic into a medium sized bowl. Add 1 TBLSP of oil and just a little less vinegar. Put in a couple dashes of salt and pepper and about 2 tsp lemon juice. Add the sugar to your likeness(I like it just a little bit sweet). Add in as much dill and parsley as you'd like. Stir it all together. Add your lettuce and whatever other veggies you want for your salad. Toss the salad. Top with crutons and nuts and cheese and whatnot. Enjoy.
Week 10: June 13th A carrot cake for you favorite canine pal! Some people really get into celebrating their dog's birthday! This is the second year a friend has asked me to bake a cake for his dog's birthday. So I do because it's fun. Also, humans can eat it too, and it's not too shabby!! Here ya go! 1 C. Flour 1 tsp. Baking soda 1/4 C. Vegetable oil 1/4 C. Peanut butter(chunky or smooth) 1 C. shredded Carrots 1 tsp Vanilla 1/3 C. Honey 1 egg dash of salt Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Grease an 8" cake pan. Mix the flour and baking soda together. Add the remaining ingredients and mix really well. Pour into pan and spread around so the batter is even. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely. Doggie frosting: 1 C. plain yogurt 1/2 C. Peanut butter(Plain or chunky) 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/4 C. honey Whisk all the ingredients together. You can add some food coloring if you so choose.... Happy doggy day!
Week 11: July 13(sorry I've been slacking!) Cheesy Potato soup 1 onion, diced 3 carrots, diced 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced 2 celery stalks, diced 1 TBLSP olive oil and butter, each about 3-4 lbs of potatoes cut into 1 inch chunks 2 pinches of salt, pepper a couple bouillon cubes if you don't have stock water or stock Milk shredded cheddar cheese Parsley, chopped In a large stock pot, heat the oil and butter until melted and hot. Add the onions and garlic and saute for about two minutes. Add the carrots and celery and cook until soft. About 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper and enough water(and bouillon or stock)to cover about 2/3 of the potatoes. Simmer with a lid on until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Smash the potatoes with a potato masher but leave some big chunks if you'd like. Add milk until you have your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add cheese and parsley. Cook on low until the cheese is melted and the soup is hot. Enjoy!!
I have not tried the spicy chai yet but I made cold chai and it was yummy. I like to make sweetened iced black tea so I already had 1/2 the tea done. It worked great...only problem is the cinnamon doesn't fully dissolve.still great. thanks so much
Week 12: August 10 I fail. Flavored Iced Tea! 2 black tea bags 2 fruit or other flavor tea bags(Blueberry, peach, raspberry, etc...) Sugar(optional) Water(duh!) Fill a tea kettle with water. Bring to a boil. Pour into a pitcher(about a gallon sized one) with the tea bags. Steep for 5-10 minutes. Add sugar to your liking.( I like about 1/2 a cup, you can use honey too!) Stir until dissolved. Add enough cold water to fill. Let cool completely. Pour into a glass with ice and lemon/orange wedge. Enjoy!
